History
The New York State Transfer and Articulation Association – NYSTAA – was founded on June 4, 1993 and its inaugural meeting was held on the campus of the SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome. The organization grew out of the work completed by the two-year college State University of New York Transfer Counselor’s Association (SUNYTCA) and the desire of four-year public and private college and university transfer admission professionals to form a state-wide, inclusive transfer association.
During the spring semester of 1990, a number of four-year admissions professionals began to discuss forming a state-wide transfer association. The idea was to model such an association after the New England Transfer Association (NETA) whose conferences, several individuals had attended. Later, NETA was even approached by several members of this group to inquire whether they would be interested in expanding into New York and Pennsylvania. NETA was gracious in their response but declined, stating that their mission was to New England colleges. In 1992, discussion began with SUNYTCA about expanding their organization into a transfer association for all regionally accredited colleges and universities in New York State – two-year and four-year, public and private. While not receiving unanimous agreement, SUNYTCA did vote for expansion, allowing for NYSTAA’s birth. SUNYTCA dissolved on June 3, 1993 and NYSTAA was created the following day and a constitution was ratified.
The mission of NYSTAA was cited as being a non-profit professional educational association dedicated to the promotion of the mobility of transfer students in higher education and professional development of its members. Its aim was to increase transfer student opportunities and improve the articulation of programs among New York State’s two-year and four-year public and private accredited colleges and universities.
G. Christopher Belle-Isle, Director of Transfer and Placement, Monroe Community College was nominated and elected as NYSTAA’s inaugural President. Serving with Belle-Isle as initial officers were Roger Sullivan, Director of Admissions, SUNY Institute of Technology as President-Elect; Donald Young, Director of Transfer Admission, Clarkson University as Secretary; and Margaret “Meg” Pearson, Transfer Coordinator, SUNY Cobleskill as Treasurer.
NYSTAA’s first Executive Board meeting was held on December 10, 1993 at Onondaga Community College. Executive Board membership followed as closely as possible the organization’s commitment to regional and college type diversity. Inaugural Executive Board members were:
1993 – 1994 Executive Board
Gloria Battaglia, Onondaga Community College
Marcy Berlin, Westchester Community College
Bruce Duncan, Morrisville A.T.C.
Howard Gordon, SUNY Oswego
Evor Ingram, Nassau Community College
Steven Kast, SUNY Brockport
Peter Lindsay, Niagara University
Ronnie Bayer Lipp, Corning Community College
Suzanne Manfred, SUNY Potsdam
Lloyd Tredwell, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Carol Vari, Marist College
Michael Walsh, SUNY Plattsburgh
Committee Chairs for 1993 – 1994 were:
Membership - Evor Ingram, Nassau Community College
Conference - Roger Sullivan, SUNY Institute of Technology
Nominations and Elections - Gloria Battaglia, Onondaga Community College
Newsletter - Michael Walsh, SUNY Plattsburgh
The Riveredge Resort Hotel in Alexandria Bay, New York was the site of NYSTAA’s first annual conference held May 24 – 26, 1994. The theme, “Transfer – The Bridge to the Future,” was adopted because it reflected NYSTAA’s hope of strengthening the bridges among New York State’s two- and four-year colleges and universities. Keynote speaker for the first conference was Dr. David Mertes, Chancellor of the California Community College System.